Articles from cellulose derivatives of the higher fatty acids



Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLES FROM CELLULOSE DERIVATIVES OF THE HIGHER FATTY ACIDS No. Drawing. Application April 11, 1928, Serial No. 269,294. In Germany April 22, 19 27 17 Claims.

This invention is based on the observation that cellulose derivatives containing radicles of higher fatty acids under mechanical pressure and at an elevated temperature lying below that at which the said cellulose derivatives become fluid pass into transparent masses of great toughness and .pliability which no longer show fibrous structure. In this state they may be moulded to any desired shape and articles may be manufactured from them without employing a solvent.

The cellulose derivatives in question, soluble or not in organic solvents or water, are characterized by the content in their molecule of radicles of higher fatty acids comprising fatty acids, saturated as well as unsaturated, with more than eight carbon atoms. These cellulose derivatives may contain besides radicles of a higher fatty acid radicles of other organic acids; partly the cellulose may be etherified.

Additional materials of any kind, for instance filling, coloring and other additional products known in the manufacture of cellulose derivative plastics may be incorporated with the cellulose derivatives of the higher -fatty acids which are to be moulded, for example other cellulose derivatives, cellulose, cork, woodmeal, organic dyestuffs, inorganic pigments, finely ground minerals, like gypsum or heavy-spar, paraffin, wax, tar and asphalt products, natural and artificial resins, higher fatty acids, acid derivatives, aryl phosphoric acid esters and the like.

The temperatures and pressures to be used in the moulding operation depend on the kind of eellulose derivative, the kind and proportion of added material, the desired properties of the finished material and the apparatus used. They may be varied within wide limits.

By the new process shaped masses of any kind may be formed such as rods, tubes, sheets of any desired thickness, for example films, slabs, plates, insulating bodies.

- In order to impart enhanced strength to the may be carried out in mixing cellulose pulp with a cellulose derivative of the mentioned kind, working up the mixture to paper in the usual manner and treating the paper thus obtained between heated cylinders of a calender or pressing it into a heated mould.

The cellulose derivatives mentioned above which contain radicles of different acids are obtainable'for instance by esteriiying a cellulose material successively with diiferent acidylating agents. They also can be obtained by treating a cellulose material with a. mixture of diiferent acidylating agents, for instance prepared from the acid of cocoa-nut oil, which is available on the market as a by-product from the manufacture of edible fats and constitutes a mixture of chiefly lauric, myristic and stearic'acid and little quantities of capric, caproic and caprylic acid.

The following examples illustrate the invention without limiting it.

Example 1.Cellulose laurate, which is insolable in organic solvents and contains from to per cent. of combined lauric acid, is comminuted in a mill so as to produce small pieces. The comminuted mass is applied to a jute band and pressed in a calender or in a hydraulic press at a pressureof 50 to 300 atmospheres at about ,0. There is obtained a completely transparent sheet of high resistance, which is suitable as a floor-cloth. Colored cellulose laurate may be used or some coloring agent or other materials, such as woodmeal or ground cork, may be added to the cellulose laurate. The jute support can be omitted if so desired. Rods and other shaped objects can be made in an analogous manner.

Example 2.-E1aidic acid ester of cellulose, which is insoluble in organic solvents, is finely ground and pressed as described in Example 1 to form a thin layer on a support of strong paper. The ester may be colored before the pressing operation or may be printed with a pattern after the pressing. The press mould can itself be patterned. A completely water-proof, washable carpet is obtained.

Example 3.A finely ground cellulose ester of I and the mixture is pressed at 120 C. under 20 atmospheres pressure. The translucent mass thus made has advantageous mechanical properties. Example 7.-100 parts by weight of cellulose pulp aremixed in the'pulping-engine with 3 1-5 parts by weight of insoluble cellulose dilaurate.

The paper resulting from this mixture is led under the pressure of 50 atmospheres through 2' cylinders heated at 110 to 120 0. Under the working conditions set forth in the foregoing ex-- amples and comprising pressing cellulose derivatives'of higher fatty acids at a temperature belowthe' fluidity point, the said cellulose esters are colloided or gelatinizedthat is, they are transformed into transparent masses of great toughness and pliability and show no longer any structure of thecellulose derivative used as starting material. Inthe claims following hereafter, the term' gelatinizing is intended to denote this structural transformation of the cellulose esters.

What we claim is? 1. The process which comprises moulding and l gelatinizing' an unformed and heterogeneous mass containing as a substantial constituent a fibrous cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which i are at least partly esterifled by means of a higher fatty acid, by subjecting the said cellulose derivative to mechanical pressure at an elevated i temperature lying below the fluidity point of m said cellulose derivative.

4 4'6 .2. The process which comprises moulding and containing as a substantial constituent -a iflbroua cellulose' derivative the hydroxyl gelatinizing an, unformed and heterogeneous Q groups of which'are partly esterifled by means of a 'higher fatty 1 acid and partly by means of a p e I different organic acid, by subjecting the said cel- "lulose derivativeto mechanical pressure at an elevated "temperature lying below the fluidity point of the said'cellulose derivative.

-' mass containing as a substantial constituent a 1 fibrous cellulose derivative the hydroxyl gr ups ofwhich areat least partly esterifled by means of a higher fatty acid, bysublecting the said celtive to mechanical pressure at 1 3. The process which comprises moulding and consisting of a moulded homogeneous and gels-- gelatinizing, an unformed: and heterogeneous iulose derivative. to mechanical pressure at a 7 temperature of execution-150 c.

' 4. The process which comprises moulding and gelatinizing an unformed and heterogeneous mass containing as a substantial constituent -a flbrous cellulose derivative the hydronl groups of which are partly esterifled by means of a higher fatty'acid and partly by means of a different organic ac'id,by subjecting. the said cellulosederivaa temperature of about 100 -150C. v

5. The process which comprises moulding and gelatinizing' an unformed and heterogeneous mass containing as a substantial constituent a 6 fibrous cellulose derivative theehydroxyl groups of which are. partly. esterifled by means of stearic acid, by subjecting the said celul'ose derivative to mechanical pressureat an elevated temperature lying below the fluidity point of the said cellulose derivative I I .7

macs-1v 6. The process which comprises moulding and gelatinizing an unformed and heterogeneous mass containing as a substantial constituent a fibrous cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which are partly'esterified' by means of stearic acid and partly by means of a different organic acid, by subjecting the said cellulose derivative to mechanical pressure at an elevated temperature lying below'the fluidity point of the said cellulose derivative.

7. The process which comprises moulding and gelatinizing unformed and heterogeneous sisting substantially of a molded homogeneous and gelatinized derivative of cellulose, in which derivative at least part of the hydroxyl groups of said cellulose is esterifled by radicals of a higher fatty acid.

9. As an article of manufacture a material consisting substantially of a molded homogeneous and gelatinized derivative of cellulose, in which derivative part of the hydroxyl groups of said cellulose is esterified by radicals of ahigher fatty acid; and part by the radicals of a different organic acid. V l

1 10. As an article of manufacture a material consisting of amoulded homogeneous and gelatinized cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which are at least partly esterifled by means of .a higher fatty acid- 11. As an article of manufacture a material consisting of a moulded homogeneous and gelatinized cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which are partly esteriiied by means of a higher fatty acid and partly by means of a different organic acid.

12. As an article of manufacture a material consisting of a moulded homogeneous and gelatinized cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which are at least partly esterifled by means of stearic acid.

13.'As an article of manufacture a material tinized cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups of which are partly eaterifled by means of stearic acid and partly by means of acetic acid.

.14. As an articleof manufacture a material consisting of a molded homogeneous and gela- 'tinized cellulose derivative the hydroxyl groups 'of which are at least partly esterified by means is. As an article of manufacture a material consisting of a molded homogeneous and gelstinined cellulose tri-ester of cocoa-nut oil acids.

17. As an article of manufacture a' material consisting of a moldedhomogeneous and gelatinined cellulose dilaurate. 1

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